Cancer

Question 1

What is Cancer?

What is Cancer?

In terms of Cell composition and Behaviour

Answer 1

Cancer is a disease in which cells within the body reproduce and grow uncontrollably, spreading to specific parts of the body. Cancerous cells take away energy and resources that our cells and body need to survive.

Question 2

How does Cancerous Cells work in the cell cycle?

G0 and G1

Answer 2

Cancerous cells do not usually enter G0- meaning they do not receive a signal from neighboring cells to divide (move into G1 and mitosis).

Social Signals

Question 3

What are social signals?

Answer 3

When a cell receives a signal to divide: move into G1 phase, etc. from the cells nearby. These are cues that enable the cell (receiving the signal) to progress in the cell cycle.

Receiving Signals How?

Question 4

How do cells become Cancerous? Or how are cells Cancerous?

Answer 4

Cells are cancerous because of errors that occur in their DNA. They also do not perform specialized functions like other cells.

Mutations?

Question 5

What are the causes of Cancer?

Answer 5

• Caused by an error in DNA
• Hereditary (the error in DNA is passed down from one generation to the other which may lead to disease)
• Carcinogens (Substances or agents that cause cancer)
• Tobacco usage
• Alcohol
• Radiation
• UV rays’ exposure
• Certain Viruses (HPV)
• Chemicals in plastic
• Organic Solvents

Question 6

What are different Types of Tumours?

Answer 6

Benign, Pre-malignant, and Malignant

Question 7

What are Benign Tumours and how do they look?

Answer 7

• Non-cancerous
• Grows Slowly
• Will press against organs and other tissues
• Can be successfully treated
• Will cause changes in behaviour when pressed against certain parts of brain.

Question 8

What are Pre-malignant tumours?

Answer 8

Cells in a precancerous neoplasm with words like “hyperplasia,” which means the cells are dividing rapidly. Is considered the pre-stage before a cell becomes cancerous.
* Neoplastic development
* Are often small and multiple
* Lacks one or more properties of Cancers
* Easily Treatable
* Such lesions may be derived from epithelial or nonepithelial cell populations.

Question 9

What is an example of a pre-malignant cancer cell?

Answer 9

Colon polyps are a premalignant tumor which can evolve into colon cancer when grown and divided into more deformed cells.

Question 10

What are Malignant Tumours?

Answer 10

• Developed from cancerous cells which divides rapidly and uncontrollably
• Is found nearby tissues and spreads into the body’s organs
• Acceleration of the cell cycle
• Genomic alterations
• Invasive growth
• Increased cell mobility
• Chemotaxis
• Changes in the cellular surface
• Secretion of lytic factors

Question 11

What is cancer screening?

Think: What is screening in Medicine

Answer 11

Cancer screening describes actions that check for cancer even when no symptoms are present.

Question 12

Why is cancer screening important?

Answer 12

To determine if a person is affected by cancerous DNA and to prevent future mutations.

Question 13

How does cancer screening work?

Answer 13

Doctors/ Pathologists: Look for abnormal tissue growth (using biopsies); family history; tests (blood, urine, bone, etc.).
Cancer screening is not meant for diagnosis, only to find abormalities in the body, specifically the tissue.

People with higher risks of cancers should be screened more often.

Question 14

What is the acronym to identify cancerous moles?

Answer 14

ABCD:
* A: Asymmetry
* B: Border
* C: Colour
* D: Diameter
Which can be used to detect different patterns or categorization of moles.

Question 15

What are different examples of Cancer Screening?

Answer 15

Blood tests like the PSA test are often recommended for people at risk of prostate cancer.
Mammograms are a form of imaging tests which obtains images of certain areas inside of your body.
Laboratory tests often include blood and urine samples.
Other types of cancer screening include: Alpla-Fetaprotein blood test, CA-125, MCD tests, PSA tests, and skin exams.

Question 16

What is the goal for Cancer Prevention?

Answer 16

Slow down growth/destroy as many cancer cells as possible.

Question 17

How do you prevent cancer?

Answer 17

• Healthy Diet (do not eat heavily salted and pickled foods, fatty red meats and processed meats, and highly processed foods that are low in fiber)
• Eat SUPER-FOODS: as they contain substances that help fuel your body and lower the risk of cancer.
• Do not smoke/ vape
• Drink Alcohol
• Use sunscreen
• Exercise (regularly)/ be active
• Manage weight
• Avoid tanning beds
• Get regular screening tests
• Protect yourself from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (infections include HPV (human papilomavirus), which is associated with cervical cancer).
• Limit exposure to any carcinogens.
• Self-examination

Question 18

What are preventable cancers?

30-50% of cancers can be prevented

Answer 18

Prostate, Thyroid, Testicular, Melanoma, Breast cancers can be cured with heavy medication

Question 19

What are non-preventable Cancers?

Answer 19

• Pancreatic cancer.
• Liver cancer and intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
• Esophageal cancer.
• Lung cancer and bronchus cancer.
• Acute myeloid leukemia.
• Brain cancer and other nervous system cancer.
• Stomach cancer.
• Ovarian cancer.
  Cannot be cured and are fatal past stage 2.

Question 20

How do you diagnose Cancer?

Answer 20

Imaging tests allow for doctors to examine the bones and tissues within your body in a noninvasive manner. These include: CT scans, bone scan, MRIs/ MRS, positron emission topography (PET) scan, ultrasound, and x-rays, having the ability to identify cancer growths.

Question 21

How do Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) work?

Answer 21

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a form of imaging used to diagnose specifically cancer of brain tumor, as well as pancreatic, breast, and cervical cancers.
- Technology based on the strategy of applying an external magnetic force which causes differently charged particles to shift at different frequencies. Depending on the rate of shifting. data regarding the composition of cells can be collected.

Question 22

What are Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) work?

Answer 22

MRIS are used to identify cancers via magnetic field imaging, primarily brain and bone tumours.
Shows a change in the shape, size, or structure of tissues and organs; however, MRIs cannot always evaluate the difference between cancerous tumour and a non-cancerous tumour.

Question 23

How does Ultrasound Imaging Work?

Answer 23

An imaging technique that uses ultra-high-frequency sound waves to create a digital image, which can be used to detect many different kinds of cancer.
This allows doctors to view certain soft tissues, for instance, the heart or the liver.
Being captured in real-time, they can also help show the body’s internal organ’s movements such as blood flow through blood vessels.

Question 24

How does Computed Tomography (CT) scans work?

Answer 24

The procedure involves a narrow beam of x-rays that is aimed at the patient and quickly rotated around the body, producing signals that are processed by the machine’s computer system, generating cross-sectional images.
It has the ability to detect, the size, location, and specifics of the lesion/ tumour that the cancer is found in.

Question 25

What are Synthetic Biomarkers?

Answer 25

Synthetic biomarkers are used to identify and diagnose cancer growths through the use of genes, proteins, and/or other substances that are able to reveal important details about cancer. Nanoscale sensor that sheds analytical fragments in response to tumor-specific proteases that can be detected in the urine

Question 26

What are Blood Chem Tests (Included but limited: Complete Blood Count (CBC))?

Answer 26

Blood testing. However, Immune or blood system cancers like leukemia and lymphoma Unable to detect lung, breast, colon cancers, and other solid organ cancers that are harder to treat.

Question 27

What are some treatments for Cancer?

Answer 27

1. Chemotherapy: Drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill fast-growing cells. 2. Hormone Therapy: Used to treat cancers that use hormones to grow, such as some prostate and breast cancers. 3. Hyperthermia: Body temperature is heated, that damage and kill cancer cells in the tissue, with little to no harm to normal tissues. It is typically implemented in cases with other forms of treatment (such as surgical treatment; when the areas of the body are not feasible). 4. Immunotherapy: Supports the immune system to fight cancer via the introduction to antibodies to the body which help mark and target cancer alongside the immune system. They are drugs that limit the severity of the immunee system's response to cancer. 5. Photodynamic Therapy (Photosensistizing Agents): Medicine that makes certain cells vulnerable to certain types of light that kills the cancer cells. The light is typically delivered through concentrated lasers. 6. Radiation Therapy: Uses beams of intense energy to kill or damage cancer cells, often times, to the extent that the cells are unable to repair and reproduce from. Often used in combination with chemotherapy. 7. Surgery (removal of tumour): Tumour is surgically removed from the body, which can only be done effectively up to stage 3 cancer (i.e., past the stage, cancer has likely spread to the lymph nodes and likely spread throughout the body). Surgical Removal is most effective when caught early.

Question 28

# Cancer Scientists Who is Eugenia Duodu?

Answer 28

Dr. Eugenia Duodu is a cancer specialist and researcher; she has a PhD in medicinal chemistry from University of Toronto. And currently is the CEO of the organization Visions of Science Network for Learning Inc. (VoSNL). Dr. Duodu sought out ways to share STEM with her community. Her organization strives to maintain strong ties with communities and unlock the potential for participating youth in STEM. Through clubs and programs, VoSNL provides learning opportunities to low-income marginalized youth interested in STEM, similar to Dr. Eugenia Duodu’s childhood where she did not have the accessibility to STEM based education.

Question 29

# Cancer Scientists Who is Marie Maynard Daly?

Answer 29

Marie Maynard Daly is credited as the first African-American woman to earn a PhD in chemistry. Where her research help demonstrate the link between poor diet and heart disease, and smoking’s impacts on the lungs.

Question 30

What are the three groups of Carcinogens?

Answer 30

1. Viruses (e.g., Leukemia) 2. Radiation (e.g., Ultraviolet Rays) 3. Hazardous Chemicals (e.g., tobacco)

Question 31

What's the difference between Cancerous and Non-cancerous Cells?

Answer 31

Cancerous cells does not have specialized functions, rapid mitosis and excessive dividing, multiple nuclei and nucelouli with DNA errors, and have small cytoplasm. Normal Cells have the ability to specialize various functions, performs mitosis when signalled- follows cell typical cell cycle, single nucleus and nucleolus, and has a large cytoplasm.

Question 32

What is the difference between Malignant and Benign Tumours?

Answer 32

A malignant tumor is capable of disrupting normal bodily functions by invading surrounding cells, and is able to spread to other parts of the body through metastasis, creating new tumors by branching off from the primary tumor.

Question 33

How is lung cancer triggered by cigarette usage?

Answer 33

Lung cancer from smoking begins at the basal (lower level of cells) in the bronchi and bronchioles in the respiratory system (lungs). The cigarette usage irritates the cells of the lungs, which causes the cells that line the respiratory tract to secrete more mucus that trap the foreign particles of incoming smoke. The chemicals from cigarettes prevent the tiny hairs in the that line the respiratory tract (cilia) from moving for several hours. This causes tar and other toxic substances to become trapped in the mucus and build up along the respiratory tract, the substances are carcinogens trigger mutations. Overtime, the increasing mutation of the cells cause tumour formation that can become malignant, leading to the development of cancer and other-smoking diseases.